Common Daisy

Description

Bellis Perennis is a popular variety sometimes qualified as common daisy, lawn daisy or English daisy. Historically, Bellis Perennis has also been commonly known as bruisewort.

This perennial plant species habitually colonises garden lawns and is difficult to eradicate by mowing, hence the term “lawn daisy.” English daisies may be used as a potherb. Young leaves can be eaten raw in salads or cooked, noting that the leaves become increasingly astringent with age. Flower buds and petals can be eaten raw in sandwiches, soups and salads as it is a herbaceous plant. It is also used as a tea and as a vitamin supplement.

With a super long flowering period producing white petals with yellow centres on flower heads from February, right through the summer heat to October! The daisy (Bellis perennis) is a valuable plant for pollinating insects in the UK. It flowers from early spring to autumn, offering a consistent source of nectar and pollen. Its open flower heads are easy for bees, butterflies, and hoverflies to access, especially when other plants aren’t in bloom. This makes it a reliable food source that supports insect populations and biodiversity in gardens, meadows, and grasslands.

Preferring well-draining soils, daisies often grow in disturbed plant habitats such as patchy lawns and roadside verges.

For seed sowing English Daisy, begin by loosening the soil and thinly scattering seeds across the lawn. Finish by adding a thin layer of compost and water until germination for around 14-21 days.